Archive for April, 2014
Why are the royal bludgers so popular in Australia again?
Posted by John, April 30th, 2014 - under Republic, Royalty.
Comments: 7
It’s not that hard to understand why republicanism is at a low ebb writes Corey Oakley in Red Flag. Once long ago the banner of republicanism was raised by rebellious democrats, heroes of popular power and enemies of the establishment. Today the “republican movement” is a plaything of a section of a political elite that is despised and discredited in the eyes of most of the population.
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The Trans-Pacific Power Play of US Imperialism
Posted by John, April 29th, 2014 - under China, Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, US imperialism.
Comments: 11
During Obama’s trip, writes Ashley Smith in Socialist Worker US, you’ll read a lot about something you may not have heard much about: The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The TPP is a trade agreement-and-much-more–the economic component to U.S. imperialism’s response to China, meant to draw together other Asian countries in a U.S.-led economic bloc that excludes China. As much as aircraft carriers and military bases, the TPP is a weapon of U.S. imperialism.
The Manus Solution – Four Corners
Posted by John, April 29th, 2014 - under ABC, Asylum seekers, Manus Island, Refugees, Reza Berati.
Comments: 4
This is powerful investigative reporting from the ABC’s Four Corners on the Manus ‘solution’. Watch this 45 minutes of sheer hell about what our Governments do to asylum seekers. Here is the link to the Four Corners report.
Let’s have a great big new tax – on the rich
Posted by John, April 28th, 2014 - under Abbott government, Budget, Budget black hole, Budget cuts, Budget surplus, Manufactured crisis, Superannuation, Tax policy, Tax reform, Tax the rich, Wealth tax.
Comments: 4
Let’s be clear here. Australia’s budget deficit is around ten percent of GDP, a very modest amount compared to other developed countries, and half of it a consequence of Abbott government decisions. Australia is a low tax and a low spending country. If we moved to the average tax rate of OECD countries we’d raise about an extra $100 billion a year. It is time not just to chant tax the rich but to mobilise around it as part of a wider push for socially progressive policies on jobs, the environment, indigenous Australians, asylum seekers, gays and lesbians, public health, public education, public transport, disability, pensions, child care and the like.
The Labor Party’s long farewell to the working class
Posted by John, April 27th, 2014 - under ALP, Australian Labor Party, Labor Party.
Comments: 3
Those demanding “modernisation” of the Australian Labor Party want a party like the Democrats in the United States writes Rick Kuhn in Red Flag. Shorten’s reforms reinforce the long term trend towards such a party, in which union officials have minimal influence but union funds are gratefully received, and party leaders don’t need to spend much time justifying their actions when they sink the boot into workers.
The situation for LGBTq people in Uganda is critical
Posted by John, April 27th, 2014 - under Geho Uganda, GLBT, Homophobia, Queer, Uganda.
Comments: 1
The situation for LGBTq people in Uganda is critical: they can be subjected to discrimination, harassment, blackmail, eviction, physical attacks and even, in some cases, murder.
Saturday’s socialist speak out
Posted by John, April 26th, 2014 - under Saturday's socialist speak out.
Comments: 4
The bosses have grown fat on our labour. It is time we put them on a diet with a 30 hour week and retirement on the average wage at 60. Maybe they’d have to cut back on their Grange a bit. Or god forbid pay a little more tax, which for many would be the totally new experience of actually paying tax.
Lest we forget – the war against Aborigines has never ended
Posted by John, April 25th, 2014 - under Aboriginal deaths in custody, Aboriginal Embassy, Aboriginal Tent Embassy, Aborigines, Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, ANZAC day, Genocide, War.
Comments: 4
ANZAC Day, the supposed symbol and celebration of the ‘nation’ denies this most obvious truth – Australian society was founded on the genocide of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders and that genocide continues today. Let’s unite and fight to stop the brutal war against Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders now.
My Razor Sharp interview 22 April
Posted by John, April 24th, 2014 - under Razor Sharp, Sharon Firebrace.
Comments: 2
Here is the link to my 30 minute interview with Sharon Firebrace on Razor Sharp on Tuesday 22 April. We discuss the forthcoming austerity Budget, fake crises and also refugees.
The myth that is ANZAC Day
Posted by John, April 23rd, 2014 - under ANZAC day.
Comments: 5
As Tony Abbott spends $12 billion on fighter jets and cuts pensions, disability pensions, legal aid, scientific research, public service jobs, wages, spending on social services and attacks unions, remember this. We are not all in this together. ANZAC Day is cover for these attacks on poor and workers. It celebrates imperialist wars to prepare us for future wars and to justify our ruling class’s imperialist expansion in the region.